Arne

Once you get a Z that has no rust, you don't drive it in the rain.

True, that is a very thorough post. But it's not very applicable to those of us who are trying to keep our cars original. There's lots of options available if we are modifying the cars, but only one correct answer for keeping them original. FWIW, I have the ZX master on my yellow car, and even with stock brakes it works fine.

Konis are NOT gas charged. They are the only non-gas strut inserts still in production for these cars. KYB, Tokico, and Monroe only make gas-charged units these days. Bilsteins were gas-charged, but are apparently no longer made.

Update - I received my new early master cylinder last week, direct from Nissan. My dealer said that there were (at that time) 5 in the US (4 in LA and 1 in TN). Now only 4 or less left...

As a long time VW driver, I can confirm that is totally normal. The entire rear suspension on those VWs is a big sway bar. In auto-x it's not unusual to see 4-6" of air under the inside rear of a VW.No different than seeing a 911 skate through a corner with the inside front tire in the air...

This group has had its a__hole moments, but on the whole, it is the most knowledgeable, helpful and mature group of any of the auto-related web boards that I have been a part of.

Yes, I believe it will. Since the battery box, frame rails and rockers are all solid. Comments from people I chatted with back East make me think my yellow car might be worth as much as $4000 if it were back there. Here in the West it might bring $2500 if I'm lucky. I may just have to sell it on eBay when i do.

The key - as always with a Z - is rust. The NC car will need to be looked at by someone who knows where to look for Z rust.

It's not cheap even out here. It's a one owner car with all documentation, including window sticker. Only non-stock stuff are the wheels, carbs and front spoiler. (All original parts come with it, as well.) He's asking $10k for it.

Wrong blue car, Jim. This one is the one that is for sale: http://www.classiczcars.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=21389&cat=3321

Fat chance, guys. The red car is staying. I'll be selling the yellow car before too long, but it's going to need a bit of rust repair. Nothing like what you folks back East are used to seeing, but it's still going to need some work.

They're out there, Mally. See if you can make contact with a local Z club, too. There's been some nice ones recently here out West...

I know what you mean, Jerry. Before I was born, my Dad had things like MG-TDs (a pair of them). Growing up, I recall Fiats, Singers, more MGs and the like. I learned to drive in an MG 1100 (the original Mini's slightly larger brother). Besides several thorougly modern cars and my current 240Zs, I've had things like an MGB, a limited edition Chevy Vega with a twin cam head by Cosworth, and a graymarket BMW 323i. My brother caught it too, although maybe to a lesser extent, he has an MGB in the garage and a '63 Land Rover 88 (Series 2a) in the drive.

I suppose it depends on your climate. I've never had a WheelSkin for longer that 4 years (always sold the car first), but at that point they have still been fine.

You're right, Will. I tested them both with a magnet, and both new and old bases must be plastic.

Now that the site is back (), I can post the pictures. In all cases, the original is on the left, the replacement on the right. You can see the increased size, the type-face/font difference, and even the different angles on the chrome base. Both bases appear to be metal, not plastic as suggested in an earlier post to this thread.

Christian, I sent you an e-mail this afternoon.

Gary, how did you remove the disk without damaging it?

As add-on steering wheel covers go, Wheelskins are the best. I had one on my old MGB's stock plastic wheel, it fit very nicely, and on that wheel looked almost the same as the factory leather covered wheel from an MGC. Very nice. I don't know if I'd like one as well on a 240Z, because there would still be bits of faux-wood showing. But on a 280Z it'd probably be a good low cost improvement.

Typically at auto body supply shops, or sometimes at better upholstery shops.

All this is darn good info, but the way I interpret would rule out things like Rebello heads, balanced internals and the like. I still think that 200 HP out of an L24 on a budget is not realistic. I failed to mention the budget part in my first reply, my bad.

You know, that SEM texture finish looks like it would be great for repaired 240Z consoles, too. Like Gary, I've used SEM in the past with excellent results, but not these particular products.

Very impressive, Bruce. Maybe you should moonlight and do a few dashes in your spare time? I bet you could sell that one for good money on eBay!!

Not if you still have the stock air box for the tube to connect to. In fact I've heard of several drawbacks to those little filters, including oily mist in the engine compartment, oil fumes in the cockpit, etc.

Frankly, red_dog, I think you're barking up the wrong tree. Getting a true 200 HP from a streetable naturally aspirated L24 will be very hard, and 250 close to impossible. If you do get it to 200, you'll have an engine with little torque or power at low RPM, a radical cam, etc. My personal opinion is that if you really want more than say 175 HP, I'd pull the stock motor out and put it in storage somewhere, then start with an L28 and do it right. Say, an F54 block with flat-top pistons, N42 or shaved P90 head, medium-hot cam, good exhaust and fresh round-top SUs. That should get you in the 200+ area.